Heel



S.- ARMISHAW.

HEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14. 1919.

1,393,658. v Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

aktoz W 4 UNITED STATES .SAM ARMISI-IA'W, F PORTLAND, OREGDN.

HEEL.

Application filed August 14, 1919.

i To all 10710772 it may concern:

fication.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved heel structure for shoes in which the tread portion of the heel is of circular form and is permitted rotary movement with relation to the heel body whereby it is rotated when applied to the wearers shoe thereby reducing the wear upon the tread portion as it is brought into contact with the ground and causing the wear to be uniformly distributed over the entire tread member.

Another object is the provision of novel and effective means for attaching the tread member to the heel body whereby the former may be quickly and conveniently detached to permit of replacement or repair of the tread member.

With these and other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds the invention comprises the novel features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described in the following specification and set forth with particularity in the claim appended hereto.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the improved heel detached from a shoe.

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view therethrough.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the rotatable tread member and holder therefor separated, and,

Fig. 4 represents a transverse sectional View on the line 4- of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views the numeral 5 indicates the body of the improved heel which is preferably constructed of metal in the form of a relatively thin shell of such thickness as to lend req uisite strength and rigidity to the structure yet economizing to a practicable extent in material and consequently weight. The upper relatively large terminal of the body is shaped to conform with the heel portion of the shoe bottom (not shown) and is flanged as indicated at 6 to form a rest or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Serial No. 317,555.

abutment for the shoe and attaching tongues 7 are secured to or formed integral with the tongue and are adapted to be interlocked with the shoe bottom to securely fasten the heel structure in position thereon.

The lower end of the body is provided with a bottom 7 and from the upper to the lower end the body is gradually tapered until at the lower closed extremity it is of circular form provided terminally with an exteriorly restricted portion defining a shoulder 8.

A rotatable tread holder 9 of annular form is rotatably fitted upon the reduced extremity of the body 5 in engagement with the shoulder 8 and is provided internally with a circular plate or web 10 rigidly connected or formed integral with a hollow axial extension 11 which projects through and is snugly fitted in an axial opening formed in the bottom 7 and is surrounded by an expansion spring 12 confined between the bottom 7 and a removable pin 18 fitted in the terminal of the extension 11 whereby the holder is held in such frictional contact with the terminal of the body 5 as to prevent casual or free rotation of the holder with relation to the body and avoiding such loose relative movement of the parts as would be detrimental in walking.

The web 10 of the holder is provided with integral depending tongues 14 designed to anchor a yieldable disk or cushioning element 15 in the holder and the tread members 16 lie in facial abutment with the disk 15 and the edge of the holder 9. The cushioning element 15 may be constructed of wood or other yieldable material capable of effectively absorbing the shock incident to contact of the heel with the ground and forming an adequate anchorage for nails or other fastening devices 16 which are or may be utilized to maintain the tread member 16 in position.

To further assist in fastening the tread member 16 in position upon the holder 9 a screw 17 is fitted to axial registering openings formed in the members 10, 15 and 16 and the threads of the screw coact with in ternal threads formed in the extension 11 whereby the screw is anchored in position.

In ordinary use either one or the other side of a heel is initially engaged with the ground and only in rare instances is the heel laid flat and consequently each time the side of the heel is brought into engagement with the ground the holder 9 and tread member 16 carried thereby are rotated thus venly distributing the wear over the entire area of the tread member and preventing premature wear at local points thereon. The disk 15 constitutes means for receiving supplementary fastening devices such as the nails 16 whereby the tread member is secured in position but, principally, it adds to the resiliency of the entire heel structure and more effectively absorbs the shock incident to the impact of the heel with the earth.

What I claim is:

A heel for shoes comprising a hollow metal body portion, open at its upper end and having an inturned shoe engaging flange, an annular shoulder formed at the lower end of said body, a circular tread holder adapted for rotatable engagement with the annular shoulder of said body, a tread secured in said tread holder, a rigid extension rising centrally of said holder and projecting upwardly of said body portion to an opening formed in the bottom wall thereof, a fastening screw passed upward through said tread and said holder and threaded into engagement with the lower end of said rigid extension, a pin disposed diametrically of the upper end of said rigid extension, and a coiled spring surrounding said ri id extension, and interposed between the ottom wall of said body portion and said pin, whereby to retain said tread holder tensioned in adjusted position on said annular shoulder.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

' SAM ARMISHAW. 

